Ebenezer Birrell Biography (1974)

from Lillian M. Gauslin's 1974 book "From Paths to Planes: A Story of the Claremont Area", pp. 222-223

(bold highlights of surnames added to the original)

BIRRELL — Ebenezer Birrell was born in Scotland in 1801. In 1834, he came to Canada and settled on Lots 9 and 10, Conc. 7, Pickering. He was one of a family of nine children. In earlier years he travelled all over Scotland sketching landscapes and later came to Canada. He married Janet Mackey and they made their home back a long winding lane, known as ''Maple Hall''. In 1836 he became the owner of another piece of land, Lot 11, Conc. 7. In all, he owned 400 acres of land.

Ebenezer became a very prominent citizen. He was President of Pickering Agricultural Society (1853-1859); local Superintendent of Education (1856-1865) and for a while was Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the Fourth Battalion of Ontario Militia. He was Justice of the Peace and became known as "Squire" Birrell.

For many years he was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church in Claremont and became famous for his art. He died in 1888 and his family were: Janet, John, James, David and Christine (Mrs. Arthur Johnston).

David and his wife (Catherine Johnston) farmed there for many years. They had five children, the youngest of which was Robert. He became the owner and operator of the farm until his death in 1941. His wife, Mildred, carried on until 1963, when she sold "Maple Hall" and moved to Port Perry. This farm is now owned by Homer Jackson.

Upon Ebenezer's death, the easterly 162 acres passed to his son James, and sixty acres along the sideroad, between Lots 10 and 11, Conc. 7, passed to his daughter Christine, who married Arthur Johnston (a former Mount Zion school teacher). Following World War I, Milton Pegg and D.V. Hoskins, who had served together in France, purchased the easterly 162 acres of the James Birrell estate. D.V. Hoskins took the northerly eighty-one acres and Milton Pegg, the southerly eighty-one acres. Milton Pegg turned to the teaching profession and taught at the Industrial Farm at Burwash until 1927. Mr. Hoskins became a very successful Doctor of Chiropractics. To-day, his son, Reginald operates the eighty-one acres along with 100 acres on Lot 8, Conc. 8.

In 1927, Milton Pegg purchased twenty acres on Lot 10, Conc. 7, from his father, Andrew Pegg, to have the standard 100 acre farm. Milton and his wife have three sons: Edward, Alfred and Joseph. This farm is now owned by Robert (Bobbie) Baun.